Cabinet Secretaries will be nominated from parliament if the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee’s push for change of law is anything to go by.
CIOC is currently neeting and collecting views from the public as the National Assembly’s committee seeks to ammend the Constitution of Kenya (Ammendment) Bill 2020.
The engagement with the public, seeks to, at the end of the exercise, ammend the law so that the President can appoint his cabinet members from among members of Parliament. The CIOC met with the public from across Uasin Gishu on Friday.
The amendment moreover seeks to ensure that the cabinet shall be collectively responsible to the National Assembly for all things done by or under the authority of the president in the execution of his office.
The bill further seeks to amend Article 179 of the Constitution to allow the County Governor to appoint members of the County Assembly (MCAs) as members of the County Executive Committee (CEC). The amendment seeks to amend ensure that the CECs shall be accountable to the people through the County Assembly.
While giving his views partaining the Bill, Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno, proposed the slot of deputy cabinet secretaries be created and that they (deputies) be technocrats who when the cabinet minister is engaged, may act in the capacity since the ministers will double up to be Member representatives of their constituencies.
Chemno further proposed that MCAs be degree holders so that when appointed as CECs may be able to carry up the task.
According to CIOC team leader for Uasin Gishu event, Japheth Kiplang’at Mutai (MP for Belgut), the Bill will lead to reduced cost of running the government, this is because the MPs and MCAs who will serve as Cabinet Secretaries and CECs will only be entitled to respossibility allowance in addition to their salaries.